1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electrical connectors of the type used to form a sealed electrical interconnection and more specifically to electrical connectors having a unitary body consisting of a rigid portion and a deformable sealing portion formed by a dual molding process.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 862,902 filed May 13, 1986, a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 453,327 filed Dec. 27, 1982, now abandoned, discloses an electrical connector employing a one-piece molded connector having a flexible sealing material chemically joined to a more rigid material of the type suitable for retaining and separating electrical contact terminals normally used in detachable electrical connectors. The one-piece housing depicted in these two patent applications is formed by a dual molding process in which one material is first injected into a mold, followed by the movement of core pins or sleeves to define one or more adjoining cavities into which the second material can be injected. The disclosure of each of these two pending patent applications is incorporated herein by reference.
Dual molded sealed connectors of the type discussed in that application can be employed in lieu of sealed electrical connectors which employ discrete sealing elements surrounding individual conductors or discrete seals located at the interface between male and female connectors. One example of such a connector employing discrete seals is that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,355. That connector employs discrete wire seals which are crimped to the insulation by the terminal. An interfacial seal surrounding a plurality of projecting cylindrical towers establishes a seal at the interface between male and female connectors. The assembly of this connector requires that the interfacial seal be assembled on the male connector and each wire seal be crimped to the wire before insertion of the terminals into the connector. Hinged secondary locks must then be closed to provide a secondary lock for the terminals. Numerous assembly operations, generally unsuitable for automated handling, are required when using this connector. Furthermore, this connector is unsuitable for modular keying since there is no provision for selective keying between male and female connectors. All male connectors are identical and all female connectors are identical.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,355 discloses a connector in which the terminal and seal are both attached to the wire before inserting the terminals into the rear portion of each housing. Resilient latches are used as retaining features. The connector in U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,242 is also a sealed connector. In this connector a wire is inserted from the rear of the connector housing and terminals are crimped onto the stripped wire on the front of the housing before pulling the crimped terminal back into the housing. Thus this connector does not require that the terminal be inserted through wire seals at the rear of the connector.
In addition to sealing, another requirement of conventional connectors is that some means be provided for retaining the terminals against pull out or push out durng their life. U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,542 discloses a connector having a retaining and sealing means inserted into the connector from the front of the connector after the terminals are in position, thus serving as a locking device.
The connector disclosed and claimed herein provides a simplified connector in which there is no requirement to insert seals in an assembly process and in which male and female connectors can be selectively keyed to ensure proper interconnection between the corresponding conductors. Furthermore, the connector described and claimed herein also is suitable for automated handling and assembly.